Looking for consolidation advice/help with DACs

[hughwi]

Hi all,

I havent been on here for ages, ever since buying LCD-3s and a B52, but I find myself back again after recently buying my end-game speaker setup, and finding too many things in the AV rack! I need some help rationalising my gear, as I am looking to consolidate and improve where possible.

I no longer have any CD or Vinyl media - I exclusively use my FLAC archive/collection and Tidal Streaming services from my macbook. - so its a USB/C interface only.

I currently have 2 DACs, a Chord Chordette and an Audiolab MDAC, which are feeding a Pathos Classic One MkII valve amplifier for the bookshelf speakers (Proarc), and the B52 Emmeline II and DNA Sonett headphone amplifiers respectively. - The Chordette doesnt have balanced outputs, but it sounds awesome with the Pathos. I am using the MDAC's balanced outputs for the B52, and the rca outputs for the Sonett (as this also doesnt have balanced inputs).

I get the most use out of my B52, then the bookshelf speakers, then the Sonett. I mostly listen to Rock/Blues and some electronic and classical music. I mostly use the B52 with my LCD3s, sometimes grado HF2s and I mainly use the Sonett for my HD650s, as they are overpowered by the B52, but as part of consolidation and raising funds, I could sell it. I am not looking to move to stats or change headphones/platform, I feel that the LCD3s are my end goal headphone-wise.

As usual - consolidating has got me thinking about wether I can update the DACs I currently have, and come up with a single box solution thats capable of feeding a single set of RCA outputs for the sonett, and 2 sets of balanced outputs for the Pathos and B52 (or the Pathos could stay on the RCAs if needed).

I have been out of the market for at least 10 years before buying the pathos/proarc speakers last year, so I am looking for some advice, on what I should be looking at.
I am not set on any particular brand, but as you can guess - I enjoy the tube sound! Budgetwise, I am not looking to go too mad (the B52/LCD3 purchase was a previous single and care-free life without kids!) - but can probably stretch to low four figures in GBP (I am based in the UK), especially if I was to sell off the Sonett.

Thanks in advance.

Hugh

 

[Diet Kokaine]

You need a music server or PC with a linear power supply, fan less chassis and an external battery powered USB card.
This will be without any doubt the most substantial upgrade for your system.
Keep the Preamp if it's a quality one.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

@hughwi
OPTION 1
- Try thinking investing on a NAS. Where you can store your music, movies etc. For now use your MAC to access files.
- Later invest on a Streamer or DAC/Streamer.

OPTION 2
- Look for an Eversolo DMP-A8 it's got EVERYTHING. DAC, streamer, storage.

OPTION 3
- If you want tube goodness look for Musical Paradise MP-DX. It's a Streamer/DAC which you can roll tubes/capacitors and DAC modules.
- Invest on NAS later.

 

[OnlySoMany]

Even though I know what the abbreviation stands for, I still don't know what a DAC does. I just assumed it's magic and I am ok with that. Some dacs cost more and cast stronger spells than others to make my music sound good.

 

[fliz]

It's rare for DACs to have multiple sets of XLR and/or RCA outputs. If you look inside any pre-amp that has multiple sets of outputs, you'll see that they're just wired to each other in parallel using the same internal signal wire for the hot and often just a shared ground plane for the ground. This is probably sacrilege on this forum, but you may want to just consider a high quality RCA splitter for the second set of RCA outs.

Alternatively, if you're open to getting rid of the Sonett anyway, you only need one set of each outputs. If you sell both your DACs and the Sonett, you'll have quite a bit of funds to invest into a higher end DAC that can feed both your Pathos and B52. You'd also have some money left over for a better music server solution than using your MAC.

I use a lowly Raspberry Pi 5 as my music server, but it's being powered by a very high end linear power supply. My DAC also does not rely on the 5v rail of the USB cable, so noise on that 5v rail can't affect the DAC.

John Tucker is offering my DAC direct (not through any dealer) for $XXX, but he's also offering a solid state version for $XXX. The linear power supply for the RPi5 is $500. He'll include the USB cable if you buy the DAC and the RPi5 Power supply. He was previously charging more, but he's dropped all dealers and can offer cheaper prices now that he only sells everything direct.

Edit: removed pricing for the new DAC because I believe I may have been wrong.